The 8 Essential Rules of Smart Snacking

What does smart snacking mean? Instead of reaching for a bag of chips, a chocolate bar, or a pudding cup as a snack, a smart snacker will eat something like a handful of raw nuts, apple slices and almond butter, or carrot sticks. When you are hungry, though, making smart snacking choices is not necessarily the first thing on your mind. Snacking usually ends up being more like erratic eating, savagely consuming something salty and crunchy. If you are cleansing, this cannot happen. If you are not cleansing, it still should not happen because it can lead to weight gain, poor digestion, and a slow metabolism. To help you snack smartly, we have outlined some great tips below.

1. Snack when you are hungry.

Spacing your meals so far apart can cause intense cravings. It takes about 4 hours for the stomach to empty, so eat something small between your meals to hold you over. For example, if you drank a green smoothie at 8:00a.m. for breakfast and aren’t going to eat lunch until 1:00p.m., you are going to need some food during that time period. Pack a small bag of raw cashews, almonds, walnuts, or pecans to keep you feeling full.

2. Snack when your blood sugar is low.

How do you know when you have low blood sugar? Meals that are high in starch or sugar can cause a dip in blood sugar not too long after you finish eating. This can make you feel hungry, even though you just ate. Our advice is to avoid starchy meals, but we know that it does happen. To curb your hunger after a starchy meal, take a couple bites of an apple or carrot to raise your blood sugar back to normal.

3. Snack when you’re running out of fuel.

Despite what you may believe, this is not the same as having low blood sugar. It is possible to feel fatigued if your meal didn’t provide enough calories or nutrients. Calories are a measure of energy and most fruits and vegetables are low in calories, which is why cleansing can make you feel as though you are tired. On the other hand, you don’t want to overload your body with unhealthy calories either. Rather than going for a coffee, soda, or energy drink, try eating some raw almonds, drinking lemon water, or eating this awesome raw bar.

4. Avoid daylong snacking.

Grazing here and there is not the same as snacking throughout the day. To graze is to split your three primary meals into smaller servings. For example, you would split breakfast, lunch, and dinner all in half to eat six smaller meals throughout the day. Snacking throughout the day means that you won’t be hungry for your meals. Eating smaller meals throughout the day gives is a great way to balance energy levels and to avoid dips or spikes in blood sugar.

5. Don’t snack when you’re bored, sad, mad, or scared.

If you have ever broken up with someone, been sad or depressed, or stressed out, snacking on unhealthy foods seems to be the most natural thing. This is because eating has a calming effect and can numb you from emotions that you’re experiencing. It is not a solution. It is better to acknowledge how you feel and use things like exercise, meditation, or breathing exercises to handle those situations.

6. Snack mindfully.

By snacking mindfully, you can help break bad habits. If you notice that you get up at 4pm from your desk to grab a bag of chips every day, that time has become a trigger to make an unhealthy decision. Start changing what you do. You could drink a glass of water or cup of tea, or snack on some carrot sticks. You could also bring a small green smoothie to work and have it later to power your cells. You can also snack mindfully by cutting up a fruit or vegetable instead of eating it whole. This helps you slow down and not engulf the whole thing in seconds. Try adding raw almond butter for more sustenance.

7. Keep it real, even when you’re on the go.

Eating whole fruits and nuts is better than purchasing “healthy” bars that say they have fruits and nuts in them. Most of these bars are glorified candy bars. A great indication of how to tell if something is healthy is by reading the first 5 ingredients. There are organic raw snacks that are made from preservative-free, sugar-free dried fruit, but many snacks and bars will list sugar within the top five ingredients. If that is the case, you don’t need it.

This is a general rule of thumb when trying to be healthy. It is always best to bring healthy snacks with you. Pack little containers of fruit, vegetables, nuts, or seeds so that you can snack when you want to without resorting to anything that looks appealing. You are essentially babying yourself, but it is to help you become the healthiest version of yourself possible!

Q: I am on my 3rd day of the fully body cleansing. I am definitely doing this to lose weight. I am a 52 year old, black, Christian, wife, mother to 21 and 14 year old girls, legal secretary who is 450 lbs. I am to the point now where if I don't do this I'm going to be housebound. I can barely move some days that is why I started this because I feel so unhealthy. I have a question about the nuts. I got all gun-ho and ordered $135.00 worth of organic nuts from nuts.com. I got raisins, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios and cashews and mixed them all up together (well I purchased 2 lbs of each but I only mixed up 1 lb of each together). Anyway, I was reading about how much calories are in nuts. Should I not pay attention to that because I was consuming a lot of calories in the first place or do I have to watch how many nuts I eat? I have put some nuts in a sandwich bags and basically filled it up and that is supposed to be my nuts ration for the day. I am also eating fruits and vegetables. So far the fruit have been grapes, grapefruit, red apples, pears, green apples and bananas. The vegetables have all been in a salad: tomatoes, celery spinach leaves, carrots, mixed in balsamic vinaigrette. I only ate the salad Monday night all the other times I have just eaten the fruit and nuts. I am also consuming approximately 75-100 oz of water. Sorry I’m long winded I just wanted you to get the entire picture.

A:

Thanks for the question, I can definitely help you.

I am currently writing an eBook for www.dherbs.com called "Losing weight the healthy way." I have been a weight loss counselor for many years. I am also a health coach, personal trainer, bodymind nutritionist, and a vegan lifestyle coach.

When it comes to weight loss most programs want you to lose weight to get healthy. My mindset is to get healthy and lose weight.

In my health/fitness/nutrition coaching program www.theveganeffect.com I use a lowfat/high carb/ high raw/ nutrient dense/ high alkaline diet to achieve long term weight loss success. So far I am 100 percent in getting clients long lasting weight loss. If you are interested in my program please fill out the health history form on the side of the web page. We could have a free 1 hour initial consultation over skype to see how I can best help you.

Nuts are best kept to a minimum if you use them at all. Nuts are extremely high in fat and have the opposite omega 3- omega 6 ratio that is optimal for health. Seeds are best as far as ratios are concerned. Also nuts are truly easy to over eat and cause your nutrient ratios to be off.

A healthy vegan diet is a high raw fruitarian diet.

Example:

Breakfast: green smoothie. (500-1000 calories of fruits blended with a handful of greens and water)

Q: if you're not hungry can you skip the meal and eat fruit and nuts as a snack... can a meal be skipped?

A:

Although your appetite may disappear it's still important to consume your daily meals. Fruits and nuts are okay to snack on, but increasing the amount would be an ideal meal plan while on the cleanse. Sometimes it comes down to portion sizes that make up the meal.

Q: Do you have any suggestions for a breakfast, lunch & dinner schedule? I'm making the transition to a healthier diet due to fibroid tumors. Currently I have broken my eating menu into 3 parts, breakfast - fruits, lunch - salads, & dinner - baked potato or any other heavy meal I intend to eat. Is this a good start? Any suggestions you can give on healthier meals for dinner are most appreciated.

A:

Please purchase our ALTERNATIVE DIET AND LIFESTYLES MANUAL e-book for the alternatives you seek. It's a great little resource, especially for new people starting their transition diet. You off to a good start, Beloved!

Q: I'm doing the Full Body Cleanse and I have a few questions about it: I get tired of drinking just the distilled water and I'd like to drink the herbal teas, but I don't like it by itself. Would it mess things up to add a pack or two of Splenda to my tea or maybe honey? I can't stand the salads with the olive oil or apple cider vinegar or the lemon juice as dressing and it makes me gag. I have To have some sort of salad dressing. What kind would be suitable? Do I look for sugar-free? Or organic and natural? I found one that is organic and natural, but it has 3 grams of sugar in it. Without eating all my whole grained breads and other fiber, I haven't had much of a bowel movement in 3 days, should I wait a while yet? (I had surgery on my bowels and always had to take fiber tablets and eat lots of grains to get my bowels to move.) I haven't done the enemas yet, (low on money) should I try that? Or should I resume my fiber tablets I normally take? Any type of fiber I could add to my fruit smoothies in the morning? I want to also do the female cleanse. Is it ok to do that immediately after I finish the full body cleanse or should I wait for a little while? Thank you for all your help, I feel much better than I did before and I just started this detox a week ago, lost 10 pounds, too, woohoooooo! Thank you

A:

1. Instead of splenda, use agave, stevia, or grade b maple syrup as a sweetener.

2. In re Salad Dressing, an organic and natural one is great. You can also check our website for salad dressing recipes.

3. The fiber pills are not part of the cleanse, so we wouldn't advise those. Fruit is you best choice of fiber so look into eating more papaya, mango, figs, etc. And yes, colonics (and enemas) would greatly help you - undoubtedly!

4. You can do the Female Cleanse right after you finish detoxing. There's no need to wait!

Q: While doing a candida cleanse, it was told to me that I should be following a raw food diet full of fruits and vegetables. Fruits have high sugar content and can feed a candida overgrowth, as it is a well known fact that candida albicans thrive on sugar. How can I justify eating fruits high in sugar? Thank you for your comments. Ozzy

A: Yes, when you have a candida issue it's best to avoid refined sugar. Sugar from a natural source like fruits should be consumed moderately. In your case it would be best to consume fruits mainly in the mornings for breakfast when your body maximizes on food the most, avoiding the ones that are very high in sugar.

Q: I gave birth a week ago and am at home recovering. I feel like this was the healthiest pregnancy up until I was hit by another car who ran a red light. I was 34 weeks at that time. In the emergency room I did not know until afterwards that they injected me with steroids to speed up the development of the baby's lungs. This caused crazy side effects and at 37 weeks I had to give birth. She is fine, a little jaundice, but overall she is doing better than my first two children. I believe it has much to do with the fact that I took your pregnancy and calcium supplements. Thank You. My question to you is what should I be taking now? I am breast feeding and want to make sure that we are both going to be fine with what I ingest. Also, ever since the accident I have craved sugar. I have not been able to stop snacking. I would also like to point out that my hair fell out with my last pregnancy. I would like to avoid that as well. Thank you for listening and advising.

Q: Thanks so much for all the wonderful info! I had a chance to look at some of your products and I like what I see. There is so much good stuff here. I just finished a 60 day sugar/fat cleanse. I basically cut out all diary, white sugar, flour, pasta, etc (I was already eating a veggie diet) I did very well with the cleanse and I want to keep it going. I lost almost 20 pounds, but I started eating a little differently, since I had some events for the past couple weeks and the weight started coming back on. I'm aware that I have a slow metabolism, but I do exercise (4 to 5x a week) and I generally eat pretty well. I have about another 40 pounds I want to loose and continue to be healthy and energetic. Also, my husband and I are also trying to have our first child. Do you have any suggestions?

A:

We would recommend that you give our Full Body Cleanse a try. It will help you lose additional weight and rejuvenate your body. Once completed, try the Fertility Kit, which is a 20 Day program and regimen that consists of herbs, elixirs, affirmations, inhaler, and dietary program to help naturally enhance fertility.

Q: I have purchased and started your FULL BODY DETOX (FBD) but I need your advice. I'm a so-called diabetic, I'm not overweight 5'9" 140lbs. I've read many of your articles including the one titled "Can I take my medication with FBD?" The first day I started the detox, I didn't take my meds and all I ate was fruits and veggies but my blood sugar was higher than it had been in a long time...356 to be exact. So I stopped and started this week, while taking my meds and it's still been higher than normal...in the 200's range. I understand that you stated that the herbs would be working against the meds since they're considered poisons in the body. My concern is this, I want to continue to cleanse my body but I don't want my blood sugar to stay out of control for an extended period of time...for obvious reasons. My question is, what do you suggest I do in continuing this cleanse? Will the FBD regulate my blood sugar levels over the next 2 weeks as my body begins to repair itself? Or should I continue taking my meds until I'm done with the cleanse? I plan to do the pancreas cleanse next. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Peace

A:

Like we clearly and unequivocally explain in so many of our articles, the body is and will regulate itself and you will see this via fluctuation. Levels will be up and down and inconsistent. Your body is going to heal in its own way so if you are concerned about high levels for extended periods of time, you may want to take your meds and refrain from taking the herbs until your levels reach a level you feel safe with. You know, religion is not the only thing that requires faith. Healing requires faith too!

Q: I just purchased the Pancreas Kit for children, for my 4 year old who was diagnosed with type one diabetes. I have been feeding her a raw diet of just vegetables. The diet includes no dairy, no grains, and fruit for a week. I also started the Pancreas kit last week too. I was wondering if there is any reason why her blood sugar levels would go up? All she is eating is veggies, and her sugar levels are at 300 most of the time. Even if she doesn't eat anything, it still goes up to 300. I also know it says you cannot tell us not to give, or not to give her insulin, or not. I am still currently giving it to her. Does the pancreas kit work just as well if the are receiving insulin or not? Or does it hinder the process?. I would really appreciate other advise you would offer. Thanks so much!

A:

Drugs and herbs don't mix! They cancel each other out. The blood sugar will go up and down due to the body attempting to regulate, and normalize the blood sugar levels. Perfectly normal! It's called "healing crisis. Whatever you guys choose to do, simply keep monitoring the person. Ask the person how he/she feels (very important).

A: No, you cannot consume the almond milk or traditional hummus on the cleanse. You want to avoid store brought beverages, as they contain preservatives and additives that help sustain its shelf life. Hummus is a processed food, but you can consume it if it's prepared raw. Below is a raw food hummus recipe. You can create another type of dip for the vegetables as well such as tomato herb dressing. This dip/salad dressing consists of blending together tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt and any herbs/spices of your choice that does not contain salt. http://dherbs.com/recipes/72/84/Raw-Hummus.html

Q: I see also that you recommend a complete diet with these programs. I am guessing its a vegan diet right? I wanted to ask something on that is coconut milk and coconut oils ok for that? I personally had a very hard time trying to eat that many vegetables and many ph balance vegans seem to think fruits aren?t good either. I eat that many vegetables one it tears me up the next day and two I just cant consume enough calories that way. I can try and make up for it by eating things like almonds but I eat to many almonds I get the same problem the next day. Now coconut milk (unsweetened) and a digestive enzyme works for me for picking up extra calories.... but I hear very conflicting information about coconut and its saturated fat content. Is it ok to use daily as a part of the diet for cleansing? And your oxy-drops are those the same as the drop for ph balancing water?? Or is it something different? I am wanting to start lifting weights as I need to put on some muscle and I?m wondering if its something that would be beneficial in combating muscle soreness by increased oxygen in the body.

A:

The diet we recommend is vegan-based, and RAW FOODS. Fresh fruits, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds are ideal.

Coconut Milk and Coconut Oil are excellent products to have in your diet. The healthy fats will keep you fuller.

Oxy-Drops can help balance your electrolytes that need to be replenished after a workout in order to keep your body performing efficiently.

Q: My question is regarding fibroids. I have been told I have had fibroids about the size of someone 3 months pregnant. I have been told there are two in clusters. They gave me the diameters, but I don't have that information at this time. My OB/GYN has told me he believes it is causing me to be slightly anemic. I have been trying some remedies on my own like more exercise and a change in diet. My primary physician does not recommend surgery she has me taking iron ferrous sulfate supplements twice per day to help with my iron count. It seems to be helping. The only problem I have with taking the iron supplements is that it sometimes causes constipation and I am normally pretty regular. I usually eliminate 2 times per day sometimes 3. My OB/GYN on the other hand keeps pushing for me to having surgery.& amp; nbsp; They had me take BC pills, however I took myself off of them because they made me sick. I took them only for 6 months. I'm 45 and have never taken BC pills ever and I don't want to start now. I've never been pregnant. I flow heavy on my 2nd and 3rd day heavy and after that it is manageable. My cycle has improved however I want to reduce the flow on those days if possible and of course dissolve the fibroid if at all possible. Doctors tell me they won't go away unless removed. I used to be on my cycle for 7 days and 4 of those days were heavy. Now I'm normally on for 4 days and only the 2nd and 3rd day are heavy. I know that as I reach menopause they may shrink in size, however I'm still aways off from that. I eat no red meat however I do eat fish and poultry. I eat a pretty good balance of vegetables and fruits, mostly raw and steamed. I drink lactaid milk. I don't eat much dairy except cheese and eggs occasionally. I do have a weakness, I love potato chips. I know this is not good. I can feel the fibroid get bigger when I eat them. When I stop for a period of time it decreases in size. At least I feel like it does. I'm not a sugar craver, however during the week before my cycle I'll crave sweets. I usually resist. I feel it's my diet that has caused the fibroids as well as every female in my family has had a hysterectomy due to fibroids. I think it is also hereditary as well. Whatever the case I'd like to know what regimen can you put me on that will help me? The goal is to reduce or dissolve the size of the fibroid so it is not affecting my iron level. I'm also starting to see my abdomen get bigger when I've always had a flat stomach. Perhaps this is me just getting older, however I think it's the fibroids. Constant low levels over time can't be good. I hope I have provided you enough information to give me your recommendation. If not please feel free to e-mail me for any additional information you need. I'm looking for a natural cure. Outside of this condition I'm in very good health. No problem with weight, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. I'm pretty athletic and active as well. Please advise. I look forward to your recommendation.

A:

I remember just recently e-mailing you on this inquiry. Your diet MUST CHANGE! Consider full fledged RAW FOODS and VEGAN diet during your healing transition. Lactaid milk is HORRIBLE for you. Did you read our â€FIBROID TUMORSâ€ article?????? You need to keep on performing FULL BODY DETOX followed by Fibroid Buster kit and regimen, back to back! Continuously! Detoxing must become a lifestyle for you! For iron, consider Dherbs.Com IRON PHOSPHATE FORMULA and MOON CYCLE FORMULA. Also, consider a telephone consultation because time is greatly limited in writing back in response to inquiries. There is much healing for you, Beloved!

Q: I wrote to you a couple weeks ago asking if it was normal for me to have an outbreak only a day or two into the full body cleanse kit. You wrote back and told me that an outbreak is the body healing. It is two weeks later and I am still having an outbreak! Is this a good sign? Do you think this outbreak may continue on through my anti viral kit? I have been eating mostly fruits and vegetables, however I felt like I needed more substance and I was not enjoying my food at all... so I bought organic noodles and organic tomato sauce (sea salt only, tomatoes, no sugar, you get the point). Is adding some of this into my diet going to make the kits less effective or possibly not work?

A:

The outbreak is a result of your body trying to eliminate the toxicity and impurities from your body. Continue to follow the guidelines of the Cleanse.

In regards to what you ate, YES, they make the cleanse less effective, so you may not want to eat much of cooked foods. Raw foods will optimize the cleanse. If you are having trouble staying full, try more healthy fats, like avocado, coconut cream, or raw nuts and seeds.

Q: I want to get this for my mother as she is trying to lose weight and keep her sugar level and blood pressure under control and not be in any danger from taking this. Her sugar was in the 300's and we got her to keep it down between 140 and 180. She was diagnosed with Diabetes last year and is working on eating right. I will order once you answer this. Should she talk to her doctor first or can she try it first?

A:

It's her choice! What can or will a doctor who has an interest in DRUGS tell her about herbs that he/she doesn't get a kickback from??????

Q: Will the unlimited fruit cause my blood sugar to raise while on the FULL BODY DETOX?

A:

I humbly and respectfully submit: How could I specifically know that? How could I know what YOUR body will do? Do you understand where I'm coming from? The best way to discover anything is to do it - experience it for yourself. Your question is very legitimate, but again, how could anyone know in advance what your body will do while cleansing?

Q: I just finished your FULL BODY DETOX and ANTI-VIRAL CLEANSE AND REGIMEN). I do feel much better however I am still having a constant discharge from my penis foreskin. Dr's who have looked at it say it is not herpes but if not then what? It has discharged since mid November and has not stopped. There is no pain associated with it directly but whenever a get tingling in my feet it feels that that as is the source of the problem. Someone told me they had tingling because of acidic body but then what about this discharge? Is it an infection? All normal STD's were negative but after hearing what the Dr's said I didn't get a blood test. Again I want to say that I think your products are fantastic and have made me much healthier. I did eat some sushi with brown rice, avocado, and kim chi after the kit and woke up the next morning with a headache and sore throat. Also I felt a throb under one of my arms which I had prior to taking the anti-viral kit. Maybe a lymph node? I had a number of raw food meals at a restaurant that used dehumidifier and nuts or seeds in most of their things and would also feel the tingling sometimes after eating this. I have read on some sites that herpes can be set off by nuts so I'm wondering. Anyway where should I go now to completely clear my body of any of these penis sensations discharges and tingling? Also I wanted to say that wow I have had a lot of mucus coming out of my body and my guess is there is probably more that wants to come.

A:

Your solution is not in anything external such as the kits (FULL BODY DETOX (FBD) and ANTI-VIRAL CLEANSE AND REGIMEN). They only assist you. Your chronic problem means further work. Keep detoxing, eating a strict diet, etc. until the discharge goes away. Also, you are being compelled by your body to reassess and revise some things pertaining to your sexual belief system. The problem is with the penis so the underlying problem is pertaining to your sexuality. Tell you what: concentrate on your colon and reproductive system. Alternate between the FBD and the TOTAL MALE CLEANSE until you get your results. Healing requires patience! But deal with the underlying problem! What have you been doing sexually or what are your beliefs pertaining to sex? Are they healthy? You have a discharge because something (belief, thought) needs to be discharged.

Q: I am interested in starting the Full Body Detox program. At this time, I would like to know which program is best for me. At current, I have started removing things from my diet as of 2 weeks ago (pork, chicken, red meat, I'm trying with the fish but it's hard!) I am not eating cheese but I still eat yogurt and every now and then I will eat a boiled egg (egg whites). I have removed soda from my diet, no coffee, I drink herbal or green tea, pomegranate juice or orange juice and I drink filtered water (I have a countertop filter that I change every 6 months and the Brita pitcher that I change every 2 months). Along with the supplement, is there an eating plan that you can suggest for me? I am eating more fruits and vegetables, but I would welcome suggestions on certain foods that I can eat while I begin my cleansing.

A:

The Full Body Detox kit comes with a prescribed dietary plan and notifies a person what they can and cannot eat during the detox.

Q: What Are Some Natural Sweet Treats (Junk Foods) I can Consume? Under free will you can consume what you like, but healthier products are best. You will find plenty of "healthier" snack, treat, and junk foods at good health food stores such as Whole Foods Market, PCC Natural Food Stores, Erewhon, Trader Joes, Natural Grocers, New Frontiers, etc. Just make sure to abstain from salt, sugar, and other harmful chemicals in the products you buy. We list many companies of alternative foods and products (and their website addresses) in our ALTERNATIVE DIET AND LIFESTYLES MANUAL.

Q: I am on day 17 of the Full Body Detox. It has been wonderful, although I have slipped up and made some bad food choices I have been able to stick to eating salads and Fruit and nuts. I have lost 5 pounds overall. I have Cogan's Syndrome. I stopped taking my azathioprine, Iron pill, and fish oils while on the Detox. I feel great aside from my Tinnitus in my left ear is ringing tremendously loud. Other than that I feel great. My skin looks so much better. My prednisone steroid hump in my back has gone away. My teeth look whiter. My eyes are whiter. Blemishes are gone. I just don't know what to do after I am done with this detox. I know that I need to continue with this particular diet because it is good to & for me. I can do that, however I just don't want to have low iron, tinnitus, or vertigo spells. What would you recommend I take after the full body cleanse. My mother has seen a difference in me and so has my husband. I love this, I can't wait to see my rheumatologist so he can tell me that my Cogan's Syndrome is in remmission. What should I do next?

A:

Thank you for sharing this with us. We're so happy to hear that the cleanse is going well for you. We suggest trying the Ear Oil to help bring relief from tinnitus. You can also try the Joint Aid and the MSM Sulfur to help specifically help address arthritis. If you're experiencing eye issues from Cogan's Syndrome we suggest using the Eye Formula. Continuing with a balanced diet is best as it is responsible for some of the success you were able to achieve with the cleanse. We suggest consuming two raw meals a day and one of your choice to help continue the healing process.